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Public Document No. 142
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ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
DIVISION OF METROPOLITAN
PLANNING
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30
1939
Publication of this Document Approved by the Commission on Administration and Finance
400. 4-'40. D-99043.
Mass. Secretary of tne Commonwealth
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DIVISION OF METROPOLITAN PLANNING
20 Somerset St., Boston
November 30, 1939
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
Assembled:
The Division of Metropolitan Planning herewith respectfully submits
its annual report for the year ending November 30, 1939:
Last year, the Division in its annual report recommended a program
of highway and parkway improvements for the Metropolitan District
and that report together with the recommendations was printed as House
Bill 63 of 1939. Plans and estimates of cost of these various projects
are on file at the office of the Division.
Rapid Transit Studies
Owing to the congestion on Cambridge Street in Boston, at the point
where the East Boston Tunnel incline emerges west of Bowdoin Square,
the Division made a study of the situation and suggested the narrowing
of the ramp by eliminating the northerly or westbound track. If this
could be done, there would be provided at least one additional full lane
for west-bound vehicular traffic thus equalizing the number of traffic lanes
in either direction.
A further study of the Somerville rapid transit extension was made
by the Division in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Resolves of 1939
and a special report thereon was printed as House Bill 2494 of 1939.
A new Metropolitan District transportation map showing railroad,
rapid transit and bus routes is being prepared by the Division on a scale
of 2000 feet to the inch.
Highway Studies
Many studies have been made this year of highway needs in the Metro-
politan District including Boston, the heart of the District. Among the
Boston studies are the following:
A proposed highway loop around the downtown district which would
involve the widening of Dover Street from Berkeley Street to
Albany Street and the use of Atlantic Avenue, Cross Street and
Merrimac Street either as an improved thoroughfare or as the
site of the proposed elevated highway.
The Blue Hills radial route through Dorchester and Roxbury to
Albany Street, near Massachusetts Avenue.
The Commonwealth Avenue — Cottage Farm Bridge intersection.
Among other studies in the District are included:
A traffic circle at Powder House Square in Somerville (This was
constructed during the year)
Further study of the so-called New York route through Canton,
Dedham, Westwood, Norwood and Walpole.
The intersection of Reedsdale Road and Randolph Avenue in Milton.
The traffic problem at Coolidge Corner in Brookline.
The improvement of Harvard Street in Medford.
The widening of the Old Colony Parkway.
The extension of the Middlesex Turnpike (The Lexington route ver-
sus the Arlington route — both routes were studied).
Parking
The parking problems which have such a vital influence on the high-
way situation and the economical and efficient movement of vehicles have
been studied this year with much care and many suggestions and recom-
mendations have been made for traffic relief from this standpoint.
Planning Bulletin
The Division started in January the publication of a bulletin varying
in size from one to four pages and containing transportation and plan-
ning news, statistical data, activities of the Division and notices of hear-
ings and conferences.
The mailing list of approximately 680 names includes the following
within the Metropolitan District:
Mayors of Cities
Chairman of Selectmen of Towns
Members of Planning Boards
State Departments
City, Town and County Engineers
Chambers of Commerce
Newspapers
Senators and Representatives
Boston City Councillors
Other Planning Agencies.
Considerable interest has been shown in these bulletins, of which eight
have been issued to date and requests for copies have come from planners,
state libraries, etc. from Maine to California.
Legislative
At the request of legislative committees maps and charts have been
prepared and studies and reports made on various subjects.
Sumner Tunnel
The Division has prepared and keeps up to date a chart showing graphi-
cally the complete record of tunnel traffic since the opening of the tunnel.
This gives an interesting picture of the fluctuating traffic conditions as
they are affected by the heavy summer travel and the lighter travel in
the winter. A slow but healthy increase in the use of the tunnel is indi-
cated. It would appear from this chart that the lows of winter might
be levelled and the income of the tunnel materially increased if the pro-
posed plan of changing the registration date of motor vehicles from
January first to April first were adopted. It is probable also that the
state's income from the gasoline tax would thereby be increased by a
considerable amount.
Meetings With Local Planning Boards
The Division is making an effort to visit all the local planning boards
in the cities and towns of the Metropolitan District in order to become
better acquainted with them and their problems and to establish closer
relations with them. Members of the staff have visited several planning
boards this year and hope to have the opportunity to meet with all dur-
ing the ensuing year.
These meetings should be of mutual benefit to the Division and to the
cities and towns as they lead to closer understanding of local and general
traffic problems and traffic needs inasmuch as the experience and knowl-
edge of the members of the planning boards is available to the Division
in studying their local problems and the desire to assist in those local
problems is demonstrated by the Division.
Maps
The maps of the Boston Metropolitan District, both on a scale of 800
feet to the inch and 2,000 feet to the inch have been revised and brought
up to date.
Status of Rapid Transit, Highway and Parkway Construction
in the Metropolitan District — Projects Completed
and Under Construction
The Huntington Avenue subway, now under construction from Boylston
Street at Exeter to a point west of Gainsborough Street, is progressing
satisfactorily and will be completed early in 1941. This will not only
clear Boylston Street and Huntington Avenue of trolley cars but also
provide an underpass for motor vehicles at Massachusetts Avenue and
it will be a very welcome and long-awaited improvement.
The new double-barrelled highway along the Neponset River is being
extended to Milton Street East, near Readville.
The traffic circle at the intersection of Centre Street and West Roxbury
Parkway was completed June 29.
A traffic circle has been constructed at the intersection of Old Colony
Avenue and Preble Street, Boston.
The parkway improvement near Columbia Circle together with a cut-
off connecting the Old Colony Parkway with the Strandway was opened
on the third of June. This also furnishes a direct connection from Old
Colony Avenue to the Parkway, bypassing the Circle and relieving it
of congestion.
The traffic circle and overpass at the intersection of Memorial Drive
and Cottage Farm Bridge in Cambridge was dedicated and opened to
traffic November 29th. This is a very attractive and much needed im-
provement.
In the Blue Hills Reservation, the widening and reconstruction of
Wampatuck Road is progressing and will be completed in 1940.
Changes in Personnel
The Board of the Division as now constituted consists of the following
Commissioners:
James D. Henderson, Chairman
Eliot Wadsworth, Vice-Chairman
Frederick J. Mahony
Paul C. Ryan
John M. Whouley
William F. Rogers
Daniel P. McGillicuddy
As will be seen, the following changes were made during the year:
Mr. John M. Whouley was designated as the representative of the
Department of Public Utilities to succeed Mr. Richard D. Grant
on December 6, 1938;
Mr. Frederic H. Fay resigned on January 11, 1939, and Mr. Eliot
Wadsworth was appointed by the Governor on March 8, to succeed
Mr. Fay, and he was subsequently elected Vice Chairman.
Mr. Fay was a member of the Commission since 1929 and Vice Chair-
man for the last five years. He is missed for his long experience and
ever-ready counsel and assistance, which made him a valuable member
of the Board.
Mr. Henry I. Harriman has continued in his capacity as Director of
Planning.
Statistics
Only the figures for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1939, are
available at this time.
Massachusetts Registration For 1939
Pleasure Vehicles 960,956
Commercial Vehicles 121,126
Buses 4,841
Motorcycles 907
1,087,830
Trailers 14,534
1,102,364
Total Drivers Licenses issued 1,231,552
Total Taxable Gallons of Gasoline 711,895,309
This would indicate the receipts from the Gasoline
Tax in Massachusetts for the year ending Novem-
ber 30, 1939, to be $20,455,079.10.
These records show an all time high for registrations, licenses and
gasoline consumption.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriations and Expenditures for the Fiscal Year
Ending November 30, 1939
Appropriation $20,094.31
Expenditures 19,789.07
Balance reverted $ 305.24
Financial Statement Verified.
Approved. Geo. E. Murphy, Comptroller.
Respectfully submitted,
DIVISION OF METROPOLITAN PLANNING
By
James D. Henderson, Chairman
Eliot Wadsworth, Vice Chairman
Frederick J. Mahoney
Paul C. Ryan
John M. Whouley
William F. Rogers
Daniel P. McGillicuddy
Henry I. Harriman, Director
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